Step 2 of 5
Working out what your computer can run
This is the step that saves the most wasted effort. You are going to find six numbers that describe your own computer, write them on one line, and keep that line for every future decision about software. Nothing here requires you to install anything or to understand how any of the parts work.
The six numbers worth knowing
A requirements list on a game's page always refers to the same small set of things. You do not need to know what any of them do, only what yours are, so that the comparison becomes reading rather than guessing.
| Number | What it is |
|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows, macOS or Linux, and which version. A game may support one and not another, or an older version and not the newest. |
| Processor (CPU) | The main chip. Listed as a brand and a model, such as a series name followed by a number. |
| Memory (RAM) | Short-term working memory, measured in gigabytes. Not the same thing as storage, although both are measured in GB. |
| Graphics (GPU) | The part that draws the picture. Either a separate card, or built into the processor, in which case it is called integrated graphics. |
| Storage free | Space available on the drive you would install to, in gigabytes. |
| Screen resolution | The size of your display in pixels, such as 1920 by 1080. It affects how hard the graphics part has to work. |
Finding them on your own computer
Every desktop operating system can tell you all six without any extra software. The exact menu names change between versions, so treat the following as a general procedure and confirm against your own system's support documentation if a name does not match — Microsoft publishes its own at support.microsoft.com and Apple at support.apple.com.
On Windows
- Open Settings, then System, then About. This gives you the Windows version, the processor and the installed memory.
- For graphics, open Settings, then System, then Display, then Advanced display. The adapter name is the graphics part. The resolution is on the same Display page.
- For storage, open Settings, then System, then Storage, and read the free space on the drive the game would go to — usually C.
- Write the six values down before you close anything.
On macOS
- Open the Apple menu, then About This Mac. This gives the macOS version, the chip or processor, and the memory.
- On recent Macs the chip handles graphics as well, so the same line answers the graphics question. On older models a separate graphics entry is listed.
- For storage, open the Apple menu, then System Settings, then General, then Storage.
- For resolution, open System Settings, then Displays.
On Linux
- Most desktop environments have a Settings application with an About or System panel showing the distribution, processor, memory and graphics.
- If yours does not, a terminal gives the same information:
lscpufor the processor,free -hfor memory,df -hfor free space, andlspci | grep -i vgafor graphics. - Note the distribution name and version as well as the kernel, since publishers that support Linux usually name a distribution.
Keep the six values somewhere you can find them again — a note on your phone, a card in a drawer. You will reuse them every time you consider any piece of software, not only games.
Reading a requirements list
With your six numbers in hand, a requirements list stops being intimidating. You read down the publisher's list and across to your own figures, one row at a time. Four of the six comparisons are simple: the operating system either matches or it does not, memory and free space are numbers you can compare directly, and the resolution is either at or below what the publisher assumes.
The processor and the graphics part are harder, because they are named rather than numbered, and a model name does not tell you where it sits. The honest answer for a beginner is that you cannot rank two chip names by looking at them, and you should not try. What you can do is check the generation: a processor or graphics part that is newer than the one named in the requirements is normally at least as capable, and one that is several years older than the named part usually is not. If you want certainty rather than a reasonable guess, the manufacturer's own product pages list the specifications of each model.
If a publisher does not give a requirements list at all, that is information too. Treat it as a question to ask before installing rather than as reassurance. The vendor description behind the one named game in this course states that it covers desktop computers running Windows, macOS or Linux, and does not state hardware figures, so a reader who wants those would have to look at the vendor's own page.
Minimum, recommended, and the gap between them
Most lists appear twice: a minimum set and a recommended set. These two labels are not regulated and each publisher decides what they mean, but the usual convention is that minimum describes the point at which the game will start and be playable at reduced settings, while recommended describes a comfortable experience at a common resolution.
Two practical consequences follow. First, meeting the minimum exactly is not a promise of a smooth time; it is a promise that the game will run. Second, the gap between your figures and the recommended set tells you where the dials will need to go. If you are below recommended but above minimum, expect to lower the graphics settings, and expect that to be perfectly fine — reducing visual detail is a normal, supported thing to do and does not break anything.
A note on what we are not saying
Nothing on this page implies your computer is inadequate, out of date or at risk. An older machine that does not meet a requirements list is simply a machine that will not run that particular game well, which is a fact about the game as much as about the computer. There is no obligation here to upgrade anything, and this course never suggests buying hardware.
Laptops, integrated graphics and heat
Laptops deserve a paragraph of their own, because the same model name can behave differently in a laptop than in a desktop. Laptop components are often tuned to use less power and produce less heat, and a laptop that has been in use for a few years frequently has dust in its vents, which makes it run hotter and slow itself down deliberately to stay safe. If a laptop seems to struggle, the fans are loud and the case is hot, that is the usual explanation rather than anything to do with the software.
Integrated graphics means the graphics part is built into the processor rather than being a separate card. Many laptops and some desktops are built this way. Integrated graphics run a great many games perfectly well, particularly games designed to reach a wide audience, but they are generally less capable than a separate card of the same era. If your system information lists only one graphics entry and it shares a name with your processor, you have integrated graphics.
Two small habits help on any laptop: play with the power adapter plugged in, because many laptops reduce performance on battery, and give the machine air rather than resting it on a bed or a cushion. Neither is a rule, and neither is specific to games.
How much free space is enough
Take the storage figure a publisher gives and treat it as a starting point rather than a total. You want room for the download, the unpacked game, future updates and the operating system's own working space. A reasonable habit is to look for roughly twice the stated figure in free space, and to keep a margin of several gigabytes free on the main drive regardless, because operating systems slow down and misbehave when a drive is nearly full.
If space is tight, the ordinary ways to find more are to empty the recycle bin or trash, remove software you no longer open, and move large photo or video folders to an external drive. Deleting system files to make room is not one of them.
The worked example, at Step 2
In our invented two-adult household, the five-year-old laptop reports 8 GB of memory, integrated graphics sharing a name with the processor, 40 GB free on its only drive, and a 1920 by 1080 screen. The older desktop has more free space but an operating system version two releases behind the current one.
They write both lines down and notice something useful immediately: the question is no longer "will this work?" but "which of these two machines, and does the desktop need its operating system updated first?" That is a much easier question, and they can answer it before downloading anything. They have not yet opened a single game page.
Before you move on
You should now have six values written down for each computer you might use, and a sense of which of them is the realistic candidate. You should also have noticed that half the work of judging a game is really about knowing your own equipment, and that this half only has to be done once. Step 3 turns to the things a requirements list cannot tell you: the classification, the cost structure and the terms.
Checklist
Step 2 checklist
- Open your system information panel and write down the operating system name and version.
- Write down the processor name exactly as it appears, including the model number.
- Write down the installed memory in gigabytes.
- Write down the graphics entry, and note whether it shares a name with the processor.
- Write down the free space on the drive you would install to.
- Write down your screen resolution.
- If more than one computer is available, repeat the six for each and mark the stronger one.
- Check whether your operating system has pending updates, and apply them before you install anything new.
- Confirm you have roughly double the stated storage requirement free, not just the exact figure.
- Store the list where you will find it again — you will reuse it for years.